Republican lawmakers are proposing a bill that would crack down on so called "sanctuary communities" in Minnesota.
Right now, Hennepin, Ramsey, Dakota and Anoka Counties are sanctuary communities which means law enforcment will not do the work of ICE, but won't prevent agents from doing their work either.
Rep. Max Rymer (R- North Branch) says the bill also would also require county attornies to report undocumented people who are arrested for a violent crime to ICE regardless of whether or not they are charged with a crime.
"What this bill does, is it helps keep our community safe," says Rymer. "It prevents violent offenders who should not be here from harming our communities, and in many cases these communities are low income communities, communities with other legal immigrants who their safety is put at risk."
That proposal has a hearing Wednesday afternoon on the floor, but will likely not go far with the House tied. There needs to be bipartisan support for all bills going forward and no DFL lawmakers have not shown support for the proposed changes.
Even if it could make it out of the House with a Democrat voting it through, it would face an uphill battle in the DFL-controlled Senate.